You Will Find It All Unraveled
by mirroredhearts
Summary: The curse isn't the only thing that has begun to unravel in the town of Storybrooke. When magic arrives, the savior and the Evil Queen get involved in a terrible mix-up, and nothing seems to turn out how anyone quite expects it to.
1. Prologue

**(Before the Sun Goes Down) You Will Find It All Unraveled  
**

**Summary:** The curse isn't the only thing that has begun to unravel in the town of Storybrooke. When magic arrives, the savior and the Evil Queen get involved in a terrible mix-up, and nothing seems to turn out how anyone quite expects it to.

**A/N: **This is one of the first unexpectedly clear ideas for a multi-chapter story that I've had in a while, so I'm excited to see this thing through in all its progression. As you may have realized, this will pick up at the finale and explore a rather unconventional way for things to play out in Storybrooke. It will build up to its 'M' rating and eventually focus on a Swan Queen relationship, though you may see sprinklings of other pairings in here as we go. Here's to hoping you guys will enjoy this ride with me!

* * *

_"In spinning a robe of your own righteousness, before the sun goes down you will find it all unraveled." - Curtis Hutson_

* * *

**The Prologue**

When the curse unraveled across Henry's room, across the hospital, and through the entire town of Storybrooke, it swept up all its citizens and drowned them in their own awareness.

Every memory that had been locked away, every experience that had been undergone, and every last feeling that had encompassed every moment had crashed upon them in one overwhelming rush. It had floored every last townsperson.

And the good were very much aware of the Evil Queen who had put them there.

Regina Mills felt the spite in the Nun's – or was she her blue counterpart once again?- words and the loathing in the surrounding glances. She had but moments left, she knew, before she would be reduced to a refugee in the town she had just previously controlled.

"Henry," She couldn't help but gasp through her tears as she clutched his small hand, knowing it may be the last time she would ever come in contact with her son. And he was her son; he would _always_ be her son. Despite everything, no one could take away the ten years she spent as his mother – his mother in every single sense of the word. "No matter what you think, no matter what anyone tells you," she was pleading, an act of desperation now that she was losing it all again, because he had to know, he had to… "I _do_ love you."

Her sad, watery smile was rewarded with a flicker of something in the young boy's expression, a flicker of something that was reminiscent of his toddler days, when she had been the hero of his story. It was, maybe, the only thing left she would get to take comfort in.

She started back from Henry's bed and chanced a glance at Emma Swan. The savoir was, surprisingly, not glaring in contempt as the others were. For a moment, Regina thought the blonde woman was giving her a look of pity, but she realized that the softness in her gaze was that of understanding. She also realized that she no longer had the strength or desire anymore to stand against the woman who had saved her son. Regina did not have time to contemplate this, however, as she was required by self-preservation to flee the hospital.

And flee, she did, though she found herself inside the home she had built for her and her son in this town; she knew she could not stay even here for very long, for this manor would be the first place the townspeople would look on their inevitable witch hunt. But when the curse shattered, Regina felt a part of herself shatter as well, and this was the only place she would be able to drop the remaining pieces of herself in hopes of gathering them up again.

Henry's pillow smelled exactly of him – his room was the one she found herself sitting in – and she instinctively clutched it, willing the familiar smell to engulf her as sticky tears dripped down her face. A part of Regina had hoped, prayed even, that this was all a nightmare, reminiscent of the one she had a few nights ago, and that she would wake up in her silk pajamas with Henry still innocently asleep in his bed. She clutched his pillow tighter as she felt very lucidly her heart clench in her chest. No, this was her reality; Regina's wishes and prayers had never been answered before, and she chided herself for thinking they ever would be.

But it was all so much worse this time, for she had lost everything and this time, her everything was Henry. She stood from his bed and dropped his pillow, as if breaking contact would also clear the flickering memories from her mind. Regina tried not to think about how she was so pathetically lonely before her decision to adopt, or the first time she held the tiny new baby boy in her arms and how it reminded her to feel something other than malice and solitude. Her mind and body both betrayed her though, and sobs racked her body as she stumbled forward and braced herself against the window.

She couldn't keep on like this, risking it all for what? Power? Happiness? It seemed she couldn't have both, nor did she ever quite fully keep one. It took too much of herself.

Swiping one hand across her face to clear the moisture from her eyes, the Mayor chanced a glance out the window at the town that she had created, but that would most surely destroy her. Her eyes widened, however, at the familiar wisp of energy billowing across the horizon. As realization sunk in, Regina couldn't help the slight smirk that pulled at her lips. Perhaps she would indeed have one last hurrah to hold tight to.

Well then, the people of Storybrooke could keep their newfound awareness of old memories, because the Evil Queen would soon also regain a part of her past, as well the power that defined it.

For, magic had come Storybrooke.

* * *

Reviews are, of course, never required but always appreciated.

- mirroredhearts


	2. Chapter 1

**(Before the Sun Goes Down) You Will Find It All Unraveled: Chapter One  
**

Emma Swan didn't see the magic before it hit.

Truthfully, she didn't register anything other than the little boy beaming up at her. She had saved him. She could have laughed at the mixture of relief, disbelief, and astonishment that, at Henry's waking, had welled up inside her and would not subside. Emma had never been able to save anyone before coming to Storybrooke, not even herself. But, since coming to this enchanted little town, she found herself saving, well, _everyone_. It wasn't something she had ever planned, being some sort of savoir; it had been a title thrust upon her and yet with her since birth, and while she couldn't readily accept it, she couldn't completely reject it either.

Still, here she was. She had awakened her son from death and the townspeople from their curse. She clutched Henry's hand and played with his unruly hair as Dr. Whale slowly finished releasing the boy from his tubes and IVs. The man was still in a daze from the breaking of the curse, but he hadn't said anything about his memories. It seemed everyone was fairly stunned, most of them leaving the hospital to collect themselves as a result. Emma, though, could only focus on Henry, and how the color was returning fully to his face and how he was chattering about talking to everyone about their lives in Fairy-Tale Land. Emma was about to cut in, when Henry gasped at something behind her.

"Henry? What's wrong?" She asked, panic washing over her at the thought that maybe his health was still an issue.

"Something's happening," he exclaimed, pointing over her shoulder.

Emma didn't have time to turn around before they were enveloped in magic.

...

Regina threw Henry's bedroom window opened as the impossibly large cloud swept closer and closer. She was no longer afraid of hiding. She would get her magic back. Everyone wanted an Evil Queen to persecute, well, she would give them one but she would not go down without a fight.

She welcomed the purplish smoke that engulfed her. She could feel it again; the tickle of fantastical energy dancing across her skin, the promise of strength and power. It swathed her with warmth, like a living blanket, and she waited for this sensation of magic to take up permanent residence in her willing body once again.

It did not come. Rather, it did not _stay_.

As quickly as her magic had greeted her, it had left her clearing out of the room as is flowed past the manor. When the smoke cleared, she was left just as how she had been earlier – a lonely and broken mortal.

Something sank to the pit of her stomach. Her magic…she had felt it. Regina focused her mind and promptly thrust out her hand in a familiar motion. No spark, no smoke, certainly no flames – nothing happened at all. Where had it gone? The Mayor had felt it circle around her, teasing her, it had been so close to being in her possession once again.

Her fists clenched beside her, a million possibilities flashing through her mind. Was this a trick of Rumplestiltskin's? Or a type of consequence from the curse breaking? She had magic, she has hope, in her hands and it had slipped right through her fingers, passing her by as if she were not its rightful queen.

But all magic comes with a price, she knew, and perhaps hers would be the search to gain it back. She had to find it, or she was surely doomed with no defense against the certain retribution-seeking townspeople.

It was her only chance.

...

Emma had instinctively pulled Henry close to her when the cloud of magic swallowed them.

She didn't know what exactly it was that was flowing around them, nor did she know what the hell was going on, but she'd be damned if she let anything happen to her son again.

The colored smoke seemed to lick her skin, and it was by far the strangest sensation Emma had ever experienced; it was as if a cold spark was dancing through and around her, both warming her blood and chilling her flesh. She reflexively held her breath, paranoia making her wonder if the stuff was toxic, but her body seemed to breathe it in anyway, and for a moment it seemed like something was vibrating in her very core.

And just like that, it was over and gone.

Emma opened the eyes that she hadn't realized she'd shut, and held Henry out before her for inspection, "Are you alright?" she asked breathlessly and he nodded emphatically with wide eyes in response. "What was _that_?"

"Didn't you feel it?" he asked incredulously, "That was magic!"

Right, more magic. Something about the word never ceased to churn her stomach, and after that peculiar experience something about it seemed even more unsettling. And what was all that doing in Storybrooke anyway?

"Henry…do you know why all that magic is floating around Storybrooke?"

The boy shrugged his little shoulders, "Maybe it has something to do with you breaking the curse. Or someone brought it over from the other land…"

Another chill crept up Emma's spine and she recalled Gold tricking her into handing over his egg. The egg with magic stored inside. A burst of fear shot through her as she couldn't even begin to imagine what Gold – no, Rumplestiltskin- was plotting. She felt her heartbeat quicken and her hands get clammy as she realized that the curse wasn't this town's only issue.

"Emma!" Henry's yelp drew the Sheriff out of her thoughts as he scrambled backwards.

One of the extra beside chairs that had been placed in Henry's room had spontaneously burst into flames.

"Holy - !" Emma gasped and jumped up, searching the room for something to extinguish the fire. She grabbed an extra blanket draped over the end of the bed and quickly threw it over the flames, patting and smothering the flare out.

Emma exhaled as the random threat was put out, and she put hand to her head – first fairytales and dragons and clouds of magic and now combusting chairs? It was all terribly overwhelming for one day. She turned back to Henry who seemed fine, albeit amazed.

"Did… did you do that?" Henry asked, bouncing on the bed a little in excitement.

"What?" Emma asked raising an eyebrow. She followed Henry's line of sight back to the charred chair, "Oh no, no, no that was just –,"

"Magic! You've got magic!" Henry cheered and bounced off his hospital bed and into the blonde woman's arms.

"Henry," Emma said, setting the boy straight on the ground, "Just because the chair – I mean, it doesn't prove that I have magic-,"

"How else could it have caught on fire?" He asked rhetorically, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't know," she confessed, suddenly quite aware of the slight residual tingling sensation in her head and fingertips, "but I do think it's about time to get you out of here."

"It's time," Henry said, a knowing, toothy grin spreading across his face, "to find Snow White. Emma, it's time to find your parents."

* * *

**A/N: **Just wanted to quickly thank you all for the lovely feedback and story alerts and such, it really motivates and inspires me to write the best chapters I can for you guys. As always, reviews are appreciated though not required.

- mirroredhearts


	3. Chapter 2

**(Before the Sun Goes Down) You Will Find It All Unraveled: Chapter Two**

Emma held her breath and counted to three before she opened the door to the apartment.

She could feel Henry watching her with round curious eyes and his hands in his jean pockets. Thankfully, Regina had brought a bag of some of Henry's things to the hospital, which included a change of clothes and even a comic. That woman made sure that, if she could be prepared for something, she was _over_-prepared for it (that was, except for the breaking of the curse).

Regina.

The thought of even her name sent what Emma was sure was a supernatural tickle down her neck. She had almost forgotten about the woman's role as the Evil Queen, half expecting her Mayoral equivalent to hunt her down and take Henry back to the manor. She faltered for a second, suddenly extremely aware of Regina's new position in the town. Sure, Emma had always seen the brunette as an opponent in their bantering wars and constant power struggle for Henry's time, but now she was quite literally the villain in this story. It still unnerved her very being that fairytales – that every concept she had learned to reject – were unavoidably real. And she was a part of them.

Emma could only focus on one thing at a time, though, because if she tried to wrap her mind around everything that was happening and what it meant… Well, she couldn't, not without inducing a horrible migraine and she definitely didn't have time to deal with a headache on top of everything else.

So, she focused on counting down and turning the cool copper doorknob in her hand.

Emma pulled the door open quickly, like ripping off the proverbial band-aid, expecting it to reveal Mary Margaret pacing about the apartment in response to her new memories. What Emma actually found, however, was an empty room. She reflexively sighed in relief and ushered Henry inside. She wasn't sure how she should approach this part of the curse – the part where her parents were actually her best friend and her best friend's almost-love-affair. Most of all, though, after a childhood of feeling misplaced and discarded, she found herself staggered at the thought that she had been (_could_ have been) cherished all along.

"Would you like a glass of water?" She asked Henry, grabbing a clean glass from the cupboard. She was suddenly very thirsty. When the boy shook his head, Emma shrugged, filled her cup in the sink, and took large, greedy gulps. Though the cool water felt good rushing down her throat, Emma couldn't help but crave something stronger, some liquid courage to prepare her for whatever fairytale she would have to face next. She sighed, knowing full well it wasn't an option with handling something so significant as whatever the hell was happening in Storybrooke.

"Emma?" She heard Henry ask hesitantly, almost as if a part of him already knew the answers he sought.

"What's up kid?" The blonde woman replied leaving her glass on the counter and walking back toward the boy sitting quietly on the couch.

"What happened while I was asleep?"

Emma sighed as she plopped down next to Henry, "A lot of crazy, that's for sure," she mumbled, running her fingers through wild curls. At Henry's furrowed brow, Emma leaned to the side nudging the kid lightly with her shoulder, "I slayed a dragon. Or is it 'slew'? I slew a dragon? That sounds kinda funny, huh?"

Emma's tone got the desired reaction when her son's expression changed to shock, and he laughed with wide-eyed awe, "Really? How?"

"With Prince Charming's sword, of course," she cocked her eyebrow playfully, almost feeling every bit as impressive as she sounded, as she continued to fill in details for the fervent boy.

As the day's tale finally circled back to the present that Henry knew, though, the boy seemed to get deeper and deeper in thought.

"So Rumplestiltskin tricked you into handing over the magic in the egg," he said slowly, mapping out the happenings in his mind, "but you didn't end up needing it anyways, because true love _is_ magic. And my mom – the Evil Queen, I mean- she helped you try to save me."

Emma smiled softly and smoothed the kid's hair, unable to escape the lingering memory of how close she was to losing him, "That's right." The Sheriff paused, conflicting emotions flitting through her head, and she wondered where the Mayor now stood in terms of Henry's life, "Look buddy, I know your mom did a lot of really bad things. You were right: she was, or is, the Evil Queen. But Henry, you heard her, she loves you. She raised you, and I gotta say, she raised you to be a pretty wonderful kid." She sighed, hoping Henry understood her, while also secretly praying she was saying the right things about the woman who both ripped her family apart and gave her son a home, "Family is complicated, and magic certainly doesn't change that. I'll admit, I'm not Regina's biggest fan, but you've _always_ been loved."

Henry was quiet for a while, searching Emma's face before nodding gradually. He didn't say anything more, but Emma was confident that he knew what she was trying to say. She noiselessly wrapped her arm around her kid and pulled him into her shoulder. They sat like that in silence for a while, with Henry's head tucked under the side of Emma's chin, before Henry pulled back and looked up at her in realization.

"Rumplestiltskin must have unleashed all that magic we saw using the little bit he had in the egg. He's planning something, he's got to be," Henry said worriedly before frowning and giving his blonde mother a pointed look, "This isn't right. The curse that was broken…I think it was only the beginning. It was only part of what my book was talking about. Whatever Rumplestiltskin is planning, it's big, and now he'll have magic on his side again."

The boy blinked, his insights consuming his creative ten-year-old brain, and a lop-sided smile burst from his face, "But so do we, now that you have magic too!"

Emma's stomach dropped at Henry's reminder, her mind still not convinced of this fact though another part of her seemed to flash with the knowledge. She was about to protest her abilities again when they both were distracted by a jiggle of the doorknob.

The two turned simultaneously as the apartment door opened, and Mary Margaret and David Nolan stepped through the doorway. Or rather, Snow White and Prince Charming stepped through the doorway, because the couple that had entered the apartment seemed transformed, as if in regaining their memories, the two were bathed in an air of both fantasy and wisdom.

Before Emma registered what was happening, she felt warm moisture roll down her face; it was different and strange, looking at these two people and finally knowing what it felt like to be gazed upon by loving parents. Her parents.

"Oh Emma," it came out as gasp and Emma felt the air knocked out of her – by her mother's emotion or her smothering embrace, she wasn't sure. With shaky arms, Emma returned Mary Margaret's, _Snow White's_ (she had to mentally correct herself), hug though she couldn't remember standing up to greet her mother. It was all so rapid.

"My baby, my Emma," her mother sobbed into her leather jacket, and Emma could feel the older woman tremble in her arms, "I am so sorry, I'm so very sorry," she choked, but her words were quickly drowned in her tears. Snow pulled back to look her daughter properly in the eyes, and she cupped Emma's face in her hands and gently stroked the cheek that was so like her own.

"My daughter," she continued with a watery smile, "You have so many of my features," a laugh of amazement, "but your father's smile and fair coloring." Her smile faltered and tears began to flow freer as the woman could barely whisper, "How I wish I could have raised my baby girl."

James placed a gentle hand on his true wife's shoulder in comfort, and it prompted Snow White to attempt composure and pull away from Emma, as if giving her a chance to say something. When it was clear the blonde was still speechless, her father stepped forward and gave her a hug of his own.

"Family always finds each other Emma," he said softly, "and we are so glad we've found you."

Emma wiped at her own tears as he pulled back, trying to organize the mess of familial emotions that had bombarded her. She looked down though, when she suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around her.

"And you, Henry," Prince James chuckled and tussled Henry's brown locks affectionately, "We have our daughter back, and we have a grandson."

That was too much Snow White's matronly side, and a fresh wave of sobs crashed over her as she pulled the ten-year-old into her arms and rocked him as if he were a much younger child. Emma couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips, because as strange as this all seemed to her, it also seemed astoundingly normal and right.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry if this seems like a filler chapter, but I really value character relationships – even the relationships that aren't romantic – especially because they will inevitably play a big role later in the story. Also, sorry about the lack of our favorite Evil Queen here, but this had to be a Charming chapter. No worries though, Regina will show up next chapter.

One more thing – I thought I would get you guys' input on this: would you rather have updates like this that I can get to you sooner rather than later, or longer chapters that may also take a bit longer to get posted?

I hope you all know that I appreciate all your feedback, positivity, and motivation so much!

-mirroredhearts


	4. Chapter 3

**(Before the Sun Goes Down) You Will Find It All Unraveled: Chapter Three**

"We need to gather the council."

It was Snow White who had finally taken initiative on what to do with the aftermath they had been given for their present.

"The…what?" Emma raised an eyebrow in question and her mother smiled patiently in response. For the better part of the last hour, the four had exchanged both awkward and emotional conversation – a feeble attempt at chipping away at the time they were supposed to have had together.

"Our kingdom's royal council of advisors," Snow supplied as her husband nodded along, "for serious matters regarding the land. Even though things are…very different here," she paused, her fairytale persona dwelling on "Mary Margaret's" knowledge of this world, "we must try to gather some semblance of order, before things get out of hand."

"With everyone trying to sort out their memories while also dealing with their place in this world, and the arrival of magic, who knows what could happen," James added in agreement, his chin resting in contemplation in the crook of his thumb and forefinger. He looked older like this, Emma thought. It was strange seeing "David Nolan's" seeming young face molded into such a veteran expression.

"It could just be a recipe for chaos," Emma said quietly, bringing herself back into focus to connect the dots. It was daunting, but she was very much aware of her responsibility in this situation, not only as the town sheriff, but as the daughter of the acclaimed Snow White and Prince Charming (the Princess – but Emma couldn't associate that term to herself yet – it sounded foreign echoing off the walls of her head).

She glanced over at Henry, who was sitting quietly at the small kitchen table with them, focused deep with the pages of his storybook – the very same that revealed Storybrooke's history. The serious expression on the kid's face would have been endearing if Emma didn't know that he was desperately combing through sentence after sentence for any possible answers or direction for their situation.

Emma sighed and looked back to her parents, hoping that this "council" would serve its purpose and help advise on the best course of action to take with the town.

"Alright. What do you need me to do?"

….

Regina hated that she was forced to reduce her gorgeous cherry wood furniture into the means to blockade her manor.

When the former Mayor had accepted with despair that (no matter how many times she willed herself to conjure one of her famous fireballs or simply levitate an object) she had not gotten her magic back whatsoever, she had gone into a panicked mode of self-preservation. Regina had pushed her most solid pieces of furniture against both her front and back doors in hopes that, if the townspeople did come for her (and she had little doubt they would) they would be barred for a while. The windows, however, posed a problem; Regina had drawn even blind and curtain to a close and piled up everything she could think of against those on the first floor, but she knew the glass would not hold long against attack.

Once Regina had barricaded herself in the large estate as well as she could, she found herself fiddling with the safe in her home office. Her hands were shaking as millions of thoughts flew through her mind; what if she never got her magic back? Thanks to the breaking of the curse, she had nothing, nothing without it, and though she had expected as much _if_ the curse broke, she hadn't expected it to actually break. She was, of course, mistaken. She should have expected it, she supposed, since it seemed like everything she had ever tried to hold on to had a knack of unraveling in her grasp.

She gave a frustrated grunt when her hands shook too erratically to be able to turn the proper lock combination. Regina ran both hands through her hair and closed her eyes in attempt to calm down. Behind her eyelids, she could see Henry's precious face, and Regina was reminded of the flicker of uncertainty he expressed just before she fled the hospital. She had to get herself together if she ever even hoped to get her little boy back. With this in mind, she took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders, dropping her arms and flexing her fingers before focusing on the lock again.

She was successful this time, and the little metal door swung upon to reveal a myriad of objects that Regina held crucial to her survival.

She carefully pulled out a small, thick, old book, stroking the cover gently. It was the only book of magic she had – the only one she needed – for spell books were tacky and meant for amateurs and one-trick ponies. No, this was a book of magic knowledge that she had found a long time ago among her mother's possessions.

Regina opened the volume slowly, flipping through the familiar faded pages for something that might explain her current lack of magical ability.

She knew her magic had not completely disappeared, for not even magical energy could be created nor destroyed in a given system, as the book emphasized. But there was something here about the misplacement of magic and tracking what was lost; _the most powerful of magic cannot be misplaced for long, for it is tethered to its original bearer_. The sentence was comforting for Regina, because if she was tied to her magic, she would be able to sense its proximity, theoretically, if the book was correct.

She just needed to figure out how to find it before the townspeople came to her door with torches and pitchforks.

With an unsettling image of violence suddenly filling her mind, Regina was reminded of another item resting in the open safe box. The brunette carefully slid her hand back into the safe and it returned, this time possessing a small handgun. Regina had made this particular purchase hesitantly. She disliked guns and saw them as a barbaric sort of weapon - cold and automatic – much to like the way she felt most of the time. Still, power was power was power, and without magic, she feared that someday she would need something more dangerous than her sharp tongue as her defense.

On this, she was unfortunately not mistaken.

However, despite the risk she was in by staying, running out of town was not an option. Regina knew that she wouldn't be safe in her home for very long at all, but even though she still didn't know exactly where her magic was, she knew that if she left Storybrooke, she would never find it at all.

….

"Can we all settle down, please?"

It was more of a loud demand than a question, and Emma couldn't help but marvel at the newfound leadership that had overcome Mary Margaret once she had regained her fairytale identity. The chatter that had previously filled the diner died down immediately, and all eyes found Snow White, standing in the center of Granny's.

Luckily for them, the townspeople were easily gathered as most people, in the event of the return of knowledge of their past lives, were too stunned to do anything extreme as of yet. Snow, James, Henry and Emma had gone as quickly as they could, tracking down Snow's council as well as any other befuddled character they came across and ushering them into Granny's Diner for the impromptu meeting. Now, the council sat at the tables pushed into a long rectangle in the middle of the restaurant while others sat scattered throughout the booths - Snow White and James stood before everyone, with Emma and Henry watching on from the counter stools.

"I know that today has been life-changing, for all of us," Snow couldn't help the glance that went toward the daughter she had once feared she might have lost, "The breaking of the curse…has boded more complications than anyone expected. We have our memories back, we know _who we are_. But we also haven't been returned to our world, and now magic has come to this one. To say our everyday lives have been disturbed is an understatement."

"So what do we do?" Granny piped up, adjusting her glasses and looking pointedly at Snow White, "Where do we go from here? Surely we can't go on in this world as if nothing's changed."

Before the Queen could answer, though, a growl and the thud of fists hitting the table drew attention to the angriest dwarf, "We should punish who's responsible for all of this!"

"That's what this meeting is for – figuring all this out," Snow cut Grumpy off before he could progress into a heated rant.

"We have magic here now, though," came Henry's unexpected voice, surprising the diner full of people, "can't magic fix it? Send everyone back, I mean? And help some of you guys back to your fairytale forms," he added, focusing on his therapist and the former nun-superior, who still appeared as ordinarily human as ever.

"It's not that simple," the supposed Blue Fairy send gently to the boy, "Just because magic has come here doesn't mean it will automatically fix everything, or even restore things to the way they were in our fairytale land. I have my magic back, yes," the woman paused momentarily, "but fairies and talking crickets or puppets are not meant for this world."

Emma's gaze dropped when she remembered August's condition. In gathering the townspeople, her first stop had been to see if magic had re-animated her friend. It hadn't. He remained a solid man of wood. She had then found Marco – Geppetto- with the help of Henry, and he had taken his puppet son to lay somewhere safe.

At the Blue Fairy's disheartening response however, Emma saw the kid deflate, so she reached over to ruff his hair, in attempt to draw a smile, "It was a good thought though, Henry." Henry looked up at her and gave a half-hearted before an expression of realization stretched across his face.

"Emma can do it! She can help make everything right!" he suddenly exclaimed much to the blonde's shock, "She's the savior _and_ now she has magic!"

It was suddenly much too quiet in the diner for Emma's comfort.

* * *

**A/N: **I apologize if this seems to drag, but this will all be important for the story's plot (especially later). I actually had to split this chapter, so the next update will be up sooner rather than later. I've really been loving all the reviews I've been getting from you guys; I greatly appreciate those who take the time to give me feedback, so thank you very much!

-mirroredhearts


	5. Chapter 4

**(Before the Sun Goes Down) You Will Find It All Unraveled: ****Chapter Four**

"You…have magic?" It was James who was the first to break the silence, moving to place two reassuring hands on his wife's tensed shoulders.

"I – I don't know that for sure," Emma insisted, feeling incredibly awkward as everyone in the establishment was looking at her.

"She set a chair on fire!" Her son fired back earnestly, knowing there was nothing to dispute.

"It was an accident!" The Sheriff blurted defensively as the Blue Fairy approached Emma, coming to lightly place a hand against her forearm, "Er, what are you…?"

"It's true," the magical woman answered, "I can sense the magic she possesses."

"How? I mean, how was she able to receive magic?" Emma's mother asked with amazement; the woman had a rocky relationship when it came to magic – she had experienced both the wonder and the terribleness at the price of it.

The Blue Fairy, who had been looking at Emma with an unreadable expression, tilted her head slightly as if to examine the girl before answering Snow, "She is the product of the most powerful magic of all: true love. It is not surprising that she should acquire great magic."

"That's incredible," James laughed incredulously, both awed and proud that his true love for his wife had lead to Emma's increasingly miraculous existence, "why, she's a true Knight."

"So we've got a not-so-secret weapon," Ruby drawled with a smirk, "but we still have to figure out what the hell we're going to do here in Storybrooke."

"We're going to work on figuring a way to get back to our world," Snow White announced, taking the stage, so to speak, once again, "We do still have lives here, and under different circumstances I'd say we continue living them while we work towards getting home. However," the woman paused, wetting her lips and contemplating how to go on without panicking everyone else, "we have two extremely dangerous threats in our midst."

"The Evil Queen and Rumplestiltskin," the former cricket supplied obviously, wringing his hands at the mere reference of both villains.

"Yes," Snow White agreed, "and we have no idea what either of them are planning now that the curse is broken."

"So we fight!" Grumpy, formerly Leroy, boomed thumping his fists against the table for the second time that night, "The Evil Queen is the one who cursed us here, she'd do anything to hurt your majesties – you know what she was like before! She won't stop until we're all either cursed to hell again or dead. I say we take her out and _then_ worry about the Dark One."

At the thought of 'taking out' anyone, Emma was tremendously unsettled – especially when one of the suggested targets was the woman who raised her child. The very same child who was in on this meeting and who was probably conflicted enough about his adopted mother. Her eyes landed on Henry. He was sitting on his hands and squirming in a subtle way (as subtle as a ten-year-old could squirm); Emma knew that he must be uncomfortable with what they were discussing, but even more uncomfortable with the fact that he had once spoken much the same way. With Regina's all but pleading confession at the hospital though, the Sheriff suspected Henry had begun to take everything with a little more thought.

"Which begs the question," the little man continued, his momentum only seeming to build, "_why_ aren't we storming her manor right now? There's strength in numbers, we could vanquish the bitch for good!"

Three things happened in that moment. One: Henry emitted a small whimper at Grumpy's crude suggestion. Two: Emma let out a vehement _hey! _and her blood spiked to a boil at how much gall was packed into the dwarf and how he could be so inconsiderate as to suggest murder in front of her boy. As if it was ever that simple. And three: With the simmering of her blood, the blonde felt an uncontrollable force rush from her being, and thus Grumpy was thrown aggressively from his seat.

The man's dwarf companions scurried to pick him up, but everyone else had locked on their Sheriff with wide eyes. Emma groaned with frustration and pulled at her golden strands as she tried to look everywhere but the stunned eyes of her parents. She took a deep breath to steady herself and then began, "I – I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…I don't really have a grasp on this whole magic thing," she gave a short sigh before pinning Grumpy with a glare and practically hissing, "but there will be no _vanquishing_. I don't care how psycho Regina is, we don't just go around slaying people in this world."

Emma folded her arms across her chest and, her tone becoming less acidic, went on, "Look, I'm not saying we shouldn't hold Regina and Rumplestiltskin responsible for their actions. Heck, I'm the Sheriff, I'd personally arrest them if it were that easy. But there is a lot of gray area in all this, and going around killing off the 'bad guys' just isn't how things work here."

Grumpy had managed to return to his seat and only mumbled under his breath in reply to Emma's inescapable reason. A wave of hushed chatter gradually rose from the rest of the patrons while they considered what the blonde had said.

"Emma's right," Snow White said with a firm nod, and Emma exhaled in relief of her mother's support, "and even if we wanted to detain Regina, it would be difficult. If magic has come to Storybrooke- and it has- then it has undoubtedly come to _everyone_ in Storybrooke. I don't need to remind you of how powerful Regina was before. With her dark magic returned to her, she's dangerous. Even with our numbers, there's a good chance that she'd be able to wipe out most of us if she wanted to."

Picking up on his wife's train of thought, James added, "We hope that she won't want to attack us while we have Henry here on our side. Rumplestiltskin, however...we cannot predict what he will or will not do."

"He's up to something!" Henry exclaimed adamantly, "Emma told me that he tricked_ both_ her and my mom out of the only magic they thought could save me. There must be a reason he needed magic, and why he brought it here in the first place."

The whispering began again at the child's logic, and Emma couldn't help but be a little proud that Henry was such an insightful kid.

"Then the council will, from here until further notice, be searching for ways to return as well as figuring out what Rumplestiltskin is planning," Queen Snow ordered, her advisors nodding in acceptance, "As for everything else… well, we have to go on living. I think it's also best if no one is living alone, for safety purposes. Of course, we still must be weary of – of other possible threats in town."

No one seemed completely satisfied with the answers they were given, but what else could they do? There was no quick fix for any of them, not even those with magical abilities. It was all a waiting game now, but in the very least they could find solace in their recent self-realization and the company of their friends.

...

The diner was virtually empty now, and honestly the easy atmosphere and the pleasant background noise coming from the kitchen was a refreshing change from earlier. The meeting had seemed to drag on for far too long for Emma's tastes, and it had left her totally wiped. And then there was the fact that, she remembered with an inward grimace, she was pretty sure she had been awake for forty-eight hours straight now. A much-too-eventful forty-eight hours, in Emma's opinion, and while within that time she found her true origins and identity, she still felt a little out of place among fairytales.

Her head drooped into her hands and she found herself looking down into a steaming cup of hot chocolate. She blinked at the beverage for a moment before glancing up at the waitress in front of her.

"You looked like you could use something chocolaty," the brunette provided with a light shrug and understanding smile.

"Thanks Rub- er, sorry. Red Riding Hood, right?" Emma gave her an apologetic expression; it was hard enough learning everyone's name in town the first time, and now it felt almost like she had to start all over.

"Just 'Red' is fine," the girl supplied, seeming just a little amused at Emma's stuggle, "but yeah, that would be me." She looked for a moment like she wanted to continue, to confide in Emma as she had done many times before, but something internal won out within her and she turned away without another word.

The Sheriff took a grateful sip of hot chocolate while Red went back to filling the counter's salt shakers. The chocolaty drink pleasantly warmed her; she would take this cozy feeling over the blistering heat that consumed her when the magic took over anytime. Just thinking about the magic she attained and how quickly it caused her to lose control made her stomach lurch. She could feel it bubbling in her veins, as if her thoughts had somehow awakened it. Indeed, it sent a spark through to her muscles, and Emma found a pressing need to move.

"I'm gunna, uh, head back. Tired," she managed as a way of explanation as she hopped from the barstool, tipped her friend, and left as Red waved her out.

Emma knew she should be heading back to her apartment, especially alone at this hour. Snow White hadn't even wanted to leave her newfound daughter at the diner, but Emma had insisted that she would be fine - she had just wanted to sit and think for a bit. Now though, she found herself in a whole other direction without thinking at all. Maybe it was the knowledge in the back of her mind that the apartment had suddenly become pretty crowded with her father and her son joining the mix. She didn't mind, of course, but it was something different to get used to. Maybe, though, what drove her was the odd pull of power coursing through her; this energy had turned her fatigue into restlessness, as if it had known better. As if it knew where she needed to go more than she did herself.

When her feet finally stopped, however, Emma got a sinking feeling that perhaps this magical force didn't know her at all, because she definitely did not have a death wish.

And standing in front of Regina's daunting mansion in the middle of the night…after all that had happened? Well, it would surely be fatal.

* * *

**A/N:** I just have to say, I am _so_ pleasantly surprised with the alerts this story is getting! Especially because I'm not always so secure about my fanfiction abilities. But, all this positive encouragement truly helps my muse, so thank all of you!

-mirroredhearts


	6. Chapter 5

**(Before the Sun Goes Down) You Will Find It All Unraveled: ****Chapter Five**

The map she had found was wrinkled, but it would do.

Regina's eyes raked over the plot of Storybrooke, noting her manor's position on it as she smoothed its creases and curled edges so that it would lay flat on her desk.

If her little guidebook was correct, she should be able to sense where her magic was to an extent, depending how large of a radius stood between them and how strong this magical tether actually was. On _how _she was supposed to locate it, however, the book was vague. Regina was hoping though that because her magic was powerful, her tie to it would be as well, and perhaps if she studied an outline of the town she could get a feel as to where it might have gone.

She closed her eyes gently, focusing on what it had felt like to have pure power surging through her veins and dripping from every fingertip.

Regina could feel a pull. But, when she opened her eyes, her gaze was drawn to her own house. She furrowed her brow but her focal point did not waver. Was her magic really so close?

No, that would be too easy, Regina thought. Still, she did not feel compelled toward anywhere else on the map, and she was beginning to feel as if she should inspect the area around her house. Regina was hesitant to drop her defenses, although she had yet to encounter any citizens aiming to place her head on a platter. She would count this as a blessing, but she would not be so naive as to think that she was, by any means, safe.

Her handgun would remain on her person so long as magic was not in her possession.

Regina made her way downstairs, but as she got to the foyer she felt an intense tugging in her chest toward the front of her house. She paused, turning to stare at her blockaded front door.

She would be insane to clear the entrance to the house she was taking refuge in.

Surely her magic was not just waiting on the doorstep.

….

God, what was she doing here of all places?

Emma paced the sidewalk in front of the mayoral mansion, berating herself for allowing her feet to take her somewhere where she most definitely did not belong. In fact, this was the exact opposite of where Emma should be –Snow White had made it clear to everyone that they should stay away from the likes of Fairytale Land's most renowned villains – and with this, Emma was walking into a dragon's den for the second time.

Regina would rip her head off. And why shouldn't she? Emma understood that everything had gone south for the woman the moment Emma had come to town. That didn't excuse most of Regina's behavior, but as horrible as she appeared, Regina had also done a lot that Emma couldn't seem to fault her for.

She also knew what it was like to feel as if you were grasping at straws that were broken to begin with.

She couldn't help but think of Henry. No matter how much they wished it wasn't true, Henry tied them together in a weird, complicated way. And now that the 'Evil Queen' was without the little boy, Emma felt just a little more than sympathetic. The blonde knew what it was like not having Henry in her life, noting being able to see him…and granted, a lot of that was due to Regina's strict rules, this sudden separation from Henry had to be killing the former mayor.

She should see if maybe they could work out a truce, for Henry's sake- a _real_ truce this time, one that wouldn't end up with someone in a cursed coma. The blonde was pretty convinced that the other woman wouldn't immediately attempt to kill Emma a second time simply because there would be no way for their boy to forgive her of it. Now, Emma realized, she was the one holding all cards.

The thought was enough to bring a little confidence back into the Sheriff, and she took swift steps up to the doorstep.

Although neither woman had realized it, Emma's pacing had given Regina just enough time to shove the furniture back away from her door.

So, when Emma took a deep breath and raised her fist in preparation to knock on the manor door, it happened to swing open - and the shock upon Regina's face at realizing who was on the other side was more than evident.

Regina visibly blanched when the Sheriff's face was accompanied by a rush of static sweeping her body so abruptly that she staggered back a step, her own magic radiating off of her rival.

"_You_," she hissed, her face twisting in frustrated anger, and before the blonde could register what was happening, the Evil Queen had her yanked into the manor and pinned to the wall by her throat. So much for holding all the cards.

"You!" Regina continued to rage in fury even as she felt her magic pulsating through Emma's artery under her grasping fingers, "What are _you_ doing with _my_ magic?" For as many times as Emma had similarly thrown her around, Regina felt her hands hold tighter, the Evil Queen in her tempted to choke the magic right out of other woman.

Emma's eyes bulged as she pulled ineffectively at Regina's precariously firm grip. She could barely comprehend what the villainess was saying as her oxygen flow thinned, and she desperately rasped, "Regina…stop…" but it came out weak and almost unintelligible.

Still, it seemed to be enough to cause the brunette to drop her hands, sending the younger woman to a thudding sprawl on the floor.

Emma scrambled to sit up and scoot away from the fuming Regina, gasping air back into her lungs and rubbing gently at her sore neck, "What…what the hell, Regina! I didn't come here to fight. I'm tired of fighting," she admitted the last part with exasperation, hoping that the other woman would listen to reason.

"And I," Regina started with a seethe, but Emma was stunned to find that Regina's expression was beginning to shatter before her eyes, "I am tired of you and your _family_ taking everything from me!" She practically spit the word 'family' before falling silent and turning away from Emma.

She should have known from the beginning that the little imp would find Snow's daughter to destroy her curse, she just hadn't expected that daughter to come in the form of her son's biological mother. The fact that she felt her own magic cursing through the veins of the enemy, though, was the icing on the damned proverbial cake.

As Regina turned away, Emma could tell that the brunette was piecing her composure back together again, to regain her regal continence or prepare for round two, Emma wasn't sure.

"That magic," she began again, taking a breath, folding her arms and glancing down slightly at Emma, "the magic residing within you? It's _mine_."

"Oh," Emma could only reply, her eyes growing with sudden understanding. A large part of her settled with the relief that the strange energy she held wasn't meant to be another responsibility for her to deal with. It was Regina's (and no wonder, it acted so sharply on emotion, much like the woman herself). It was Regina's power, and somehow hearing the fact spoken aloud caused it to click like an indisputable truth in her head.

Standing up and brushing herself off while still eyeing Regina hesitantly, Emma slowly told her, "I didn't – I mean, I don't want it. I don't even know why… it just happened when that giant cloud of magic swept over everything."

"Yes, well," Regina took a challenging step back toward the Sheriff before pursing her lips and gritting out, "I'd like it back, if you please."

Emma held her hands up in a light surrender, but she didn't back away from the former Mayor, "Take it, like I said, I don't want it," it wasn't an understatement. The fiery chill that filled her whenever the magic spiked was awfully disconcerting and she would be happy to be rid of it, "It sounds crazy, but it must have led me here for a reason – to switch it back, or whatever."

"How very deductive of you," Regina let out a huff and rolled her eyes at the blonde, "magic is connected to its owner, tethered, if you will. This allowed me to know that it- that you- were on my doorstep." Unfortunately, she knew a 'switch' wouldn't be so simple. It was one thing to have her magic floating around somewhere for her to locate, but the transfer of magic from one person to another…that was an entirely different beast to engage. Her guidebook had said little on such a transfer, only that magic moves with purpose and a strange insight to balance its surroundings, "However, I fear that I cannot just take it from you, unless I snap your neck."

Emma's jaw dropped just the slightest at the older woman's blunt revelation, and this time she did reflexively take a step back.

"Believe me, the idea is tempting," Regina sneered, lifting an eyebrow in a sick sort of amusement at Emma's reaction, "but I assume it would only create further difficulty for me."

Emma closed her mouth, resolving to match Regina's stance. The Sheriff was all too familiar with Regina's tactics, but Emma wasn't in the mood to deal with another dragon – she was going to figure some sort of deal out with Regina even if she had to back the brunette into a corner to do so. She did, after all, have magic.

"Oh you have no idea. Look, no one in this town is happy with you, but there's no price on your head –yet. Don't do anything to make your case even worse, for Henry's sake," her expression softened a bit and the bite behind her words was lessened, "You know as well as I do that Henry would never forgive you if so much as tried to hurt me. Again. Enough is enough, Regina."

Regina avoided Emma's gaze and pursed her lips. As much as it pained her to admit it, Emma was right. If they continued down the path they had been paving since Emma Swan came to town, Regina was sure to be run over sooner rather than later.

When Regina didn't respond, Emma sighed and continued, "I want to make a truce, a real one, and then we can make headway on figuring out this magic thing. I know you're done horrible things, I know you were the one who ruined my childhood, but I also know that you love Henry –"

"With all my heart," Regina finally whispered with zeal, her blazing eyes finally meeting Emma's.

The Sheriff held her gaze steadily and said gently, "And he loves you too, so much. I _know_ he does…" she trailed, a kind of recognition coming together for her as she spoke, "and I think maybe that's why he's had so much trouble accepting that you could be both his mother and the 'Evil Queen.' Imagine waking up one day and learning that your mother isn't who you thought she was at all," Emma blinked, finding herself identifying with Henry more than she expected when it came to parents, "So, he pulled away."

Emma finished, feeling slightly like she had gotten carried away, but she was confident that she had also gotten her point across.

"What would you propose?" Regina leveled after taking a moment to mull over what Emma had told her; perhaps the blonde was perceptive, but Regina couldn't deny the jealousy that bubbled at the inkling that Emma understood her son better than she did. She forced it to quell, though, taking on the stoic, mayoral disposition she had become so accustomed to.

"We stop fighting and work together, like earlier," she shrugged and mirrored Regina's stance by crossing her arms as well, "Henry needs you in his life but in order for that to happen, we _all_ have to put the past behind us. That doesn't mean," she warned, "that you won't answer for your crimes. But I won't let you be served up for the slaughter either. I think that a kind of house arrest is the best course of action. We'll also work together on how to fix this magic fiasco and get you your magic back, and you can help me refrain from setting things on fire in the meantime."

Regina arched her eyebrow in amusement when Emma added the last part and the blonde couldn't help but smirk a little herself.

"We also need to figure out how to get everyone back to the Enchanted Forest," Emma went on, thinking back to the council meeting, "Then there's the fact that none of us know what Gold is planning next, and after everything that's happened, I don't trust him not to put all of us in danger. I'm betting we could use your input."

There was a pause before Regina licked her lips and stated, "I'll agree to do as you say, under a few conditions."

Emma set her jaw suspiciously at the woman's request, but nodded for her to keep going.

"I'll not negotiate with Snow White. You can be a middle man, so to speak, but I don't want _her_ anywhere near me. I think you'll find it's for the best, anyway. Additionally, you mustn't reveal to anyone that the magic you have is mine," this second piece was strictly emphasized, and Emma almost thought she heard a tinge of anxiety in Regina's tone.

"But," Emma countered tilting her head, "maybe the fairies or someone will be able to figure out how to transfer it back to you."

"Don't be so naïve. I know that the only reason I haven't been attacked yet is because they're afraid of the magic I used to possess. They think I've received my magic back, correct? If they find out that I don't have it, I'll be powerless, even more powerless and – "

"-they won't be afraid of you anymore. And you won't stand a chance," Emma finished in realization.

Regina gave a single nod of confirmation, "They'd have a field day, and believe me, they wouldn't let you just hand back my magic."

The Sheriff exhaled and ran a hand through her hair; she didn't like the idea of keeping this information from her best-friend-turned-mother or the rest of them, but she also understood that revealing it could mean disaster for Regina and while she told herself she didn't particularly care about the 'Evil Queen,' the woman was an important part of Henry's life. Emma had to factor her in.

"Okay," Emma acquiesced, hoping that this would be better in the long run.

"And my son?" The brunette questioned, her eyes searching Emma's.

"I'll find out a way for you to see him," she replied honestly before sticking her hand out in front of her, "do we have an agreement?"

"Yes, Miss Swan," Regina approved, taking the younger woman's hand with a steady shake, "yes, I believe we do."

* * *

**A/N: **Sorry about the wait folks, but this took longer than I expected as, you can see, the chapter is longer than my usual posts. It's about twice the size, in fact! I really hope you all enjoyed this - finally some Regina/Emma interaction, eh? It's only the beginning ;)

Reviews aren't mandatory, but I really do enjoy hearing what you all think!

-mirroredhearts


	7. Chapter 6

**(Before the Sun Goes Down) You Will Find It All Unraveled: ****Chapter Six**

"You did _what_?"

"I negotiated a truce with Regina."

Emma hadn't bargained on Snow White being awake when she returned home. As it had turned out though, the woman had waited for Emma to get back to the apartment and was sipping tea at the table when Emma entered the door. The blonde had jumped in surprise upon finding the woman, and from there, the worried interrogation began; Emma felt much like a teenager getting in trouble with her mother – a feeling that was both uncomfortable and (oddly) a tiny bit endearing.

Until Emma had revealed where she'd been, that was, for then the charm of it all quickly ebbed away. The fairytale queen had grown even whiter with fear. She had just gotten her little girl back, and granted she was far from the small baby that Snow remembered, terror gripped her heart at the thought of how close Emma might have been to a jeopardizing situation yet again.

Her panicked shrill relayed as much.

"You – you can't just stroll over to the Evil Queen's lair and hash out a treaty! That's not how it works!" Things wouldn't operate the same way in Storybrooke ever again, Snow thought, and Emma should have realized that before taking actions she knew little about.

"C'mon, her mansion is hardly a lair. More like the inside of a Horchow catalogue," she replied with an amused eye roll in attempt to lighten the situation.

The brunette, however, wasn't having it, "Emma!" she couldn't help but scold, "Do you know how dangerous that was?"

"Yeah, I do," Emma retorted firmly, the memory of Regina's hands around her neck sending a slight shiver up her spine, "and I also knew that I had to do _something_ about Regina. I'm not leaving her life in the hands of the town, and I'd also rather not have her pitted against us. Again," the blonde detailed, before sighing and lowering her voice so as not to disturb the two dozing guys in the apartment, "It's just- Henry's been through a lot. I don't want to make things worse by battling his mother and presenting her head to the town just because they demand it."

Snow raised her eyebrows and leaned back in her chair, "You make everyone sound like a mindless angry mob."

"Well, Leroy seemed pretty damn close to handing out pitchforks."

It was Snow White's turn to sigh, and she took a sip from the mug in her hands before slowly saying, "She has created a lot of grief for a lot of people, Emma," she looked up to meet Emma's eyes and conceded, "but you probably did do the right thing by proposing a truce. Though, I still don't condone you going there alone."

"I know," Emma said with a small nod as she took a seat at the table with her…mother, "But Regina knows that killing me would completely end her chances of getting Henry back. Considering that, I might be the safest person to handle Regina, besides the kid himself."

Snow, still not entirely convinced, merely coincided with silence and another, longer sip of tea.

"Now, I have to get back there tomorrow," Emma pressed on, "I told her I'd try to draw up a formal contract so there'd be no misunderstandings on either side."

At this, Snow White seemed interested, asking Emma to reveal the terms they had come to and listening intently as Emma recalled them. She couldn't help but purse her lips when Emma mentioned Regina's request of Snow herself, but otherwise nodded along with what Emma was saying.

When the blonde had finished (obviously leaving out Regina's power predicament), Snow White exhaled and paused before evaluating, "It should be a magic contract."

"A…what?"

"Emma, if you're going to draw up a contract with the Evil Queen, we're going to have to go about this in a safe and proper way. A magic contract will not only be legally binding, but magically binding as well. It prevents the participants of the contract to go against it," the brunette explained. Emma tilted her head in consideration; she'd never heard the woman speak so surely about diplomacy. It was no doubt another one of Snow White's traits that never quite surfaced in Mary Margaret, and it was also something Emma was still getting used to.

"So, is it kind of like being under a spell? A spell that enforces the terms of the agreement," that sounded a little strange to Emma. A deal was a deal, but to act without free will rubbed her the wrong way.

"Not exactly," Snow sighed tiredly and said, "when I say that it prevents the participants to go against the terms of the contract, what I mean is rather that it is extremely _difficult_ to break a magic contract without the consent of both parties. And if one side does manage to break it, it comes with a terrible price. Essentially, it prevents any of the parties involved from getting screwed out of a deal," she summed up with a small smile in her daughter's direction.

The woman stopped then and took a deep breath before asking, "…are you sure you want Regina to help you control your magic? I'm not denying that she's knowledgeable in the subject, I just think it might be… smarter to have the Blue Fairy teach you, considering…Regina isn't your biggest fan."

Emma shrugged tossing out, "I'm not worried. Besides, we need the Blue Fairy's time and attention focused on finding a way to get everyone home and stuff. Just think of the tutoring as… Regina's own form of community service."

"If you say so."

Emma didn't say anything in response, but at the blonde's yawn Snow White knew it was time for both of them to retire for the night.

"But we can talk about this more tomorrow," Snow informed, rising from her chair to put her now-empty mug in the sink, "I'll get the Blue Fairy to assist us with the contract at least. Now, it is high time we made it to bed, don't you think?"

"Yes," Emma exhaled in full agreement feeling like she hadn't slept in years. She rose from the table as well, and stood before Snow White in what was going to inevitably be an awkward 'goodnight.'

Snow White though, took Emma's slight unease in stride, taking the blonde into her arms for a goodnight hug, whispering, "Henry's bunking with you until we figure things out. The couch isn't comfortable enough to spend the night on, plus I don't think he really wants to be alone too much."

"S'fine," Emma mumbled sleepily as she pulled back after returning the hug, "he doesn't take up much room anyway. G'night," she waved airily, shuffling toward her room.

"Goodnight, Emma."

….

"Hey there, sleepy head."

It was only around ten o'clock when Henry dragged himself into the kitchen, but Emma felt like they'd been up without him for much longer than just a couple hours.

She smiled at the kid with his hair ruffed up from a solid night's sleep and his _X-Men_ pajamas bunched up his arms. Emma liked seeing Henry like this, right after he's awoken and before he's perfected his appearance for school (reminiscent of Regina, for sure). It's the in-betweens like this that she's not used to getting to see. It feels good, and she knows she's lucky.

Her attention is drawn back to the table, where Snow is handing her another bear claw and the former Mother Superior is waving her fingers above the contract they spent the morning putting together, bright aqua sparks dancing out her digits and across the paper. Magic. Still weird.

"So, once you're done doing…that, Regina and I just have to sign it? And it's good to go?" Emma asked, eyes still watching the fairy's moving fingers.

"Yes, the contract will be enacted and binding," the other woman replied softly, focused on her magic at hand (literally).

With a satisfied nod, Emma stood from the table and went to sit next to Henry who had made his way over to the couch and the remote control. She had to talk to Henry about this, though she hated having to do so early in the morning.

"Kid?" she began tentatively, drawing his eyes away from the cartoons on the TV.

The boy exhaled and picked at his pajama shirt, seeming to know what was coming, "Are we going to have to talk about my mom?"

"Yeah, bud, a little bit. See, your mom and I made a deal that we're not going to fight each other anymore. And, among other things, she's going to have to stay just in her house for a while. It's safer, you know? She'd like to see you though, Henry, but I… I didn't write you into the contract," she paused, hoping that the boy would follow what she was telling him, "I didn't want to force you to do something that…maybe you weren't ready for."

The boy furrowed his brow and crossed his legs underneath him before admitting, "I do want to see her, but – but not today, okay?"

"Hey, no worries, it's totally up to you," Emma said with a gentle smile, bringing a hand up to smooth some of his bed-head down, "Your mom will understand. You can have as much time as you need."

Henry seemed to sigh with relief and he returned his blonde mother's smile, "Do you wanna watch _Ninja Turtles_ with me?" He asked, gesturing to the television with the remote control in hand.

"I wish I could," she replied regretfully, standing from the couch, "but I have to shower and stuff so that I can take the contract over when they're done with the magic-y part of it. Another time though, promise!"

Henry nodded in understanding and turned back to the cartoon, leaving Emma to scurry toward the shower that she desperately needed.

….

"See, I've already signed there, so you just have to sign here," Emma told the woman sitting across from her, pointing to the bottom of the carefully constructed document.

"Yes, yes I see," Regina mused, eyes squinting as they ran through the terms and conditions they had laid out, "I should have expected a magical contract."

"It's supposed to be better. For both of us, I mean," the blonde shrugged, hoping that Regina didn't take it as a sign that she didn't trust her word. Emma knew Regina wouldn't go against what they agreed to, but Snow White wasn't quite as sure, and frankly Emma couldn't bring herself to argue her.

Finally, the former Queen reached the end of the written legalities and took a sharp, though barely audible breath, "What about Henry?"

Emma moved a hand through her hair nervously before honestly muttering, "I- I wanted him to make his own choice. I didn't want him caught up in some contract."

She braced herself for an angry retort, a demand that she fix the document immediately so that it included Henry.

It didn't come.

Regina had merely looked down at the table before nodding through pursed lips.

"….He definitely wants to see you, Regina," Emma assured her slowly, wanting the woman to know that their son did care for his adopted mother (if it was Emma in this position, she thought, she'd want to know), "he just needs some time. A lot has happened all at once."

Regina had pulled her gaze up to meet Emma's at the sound that Henry did want her in his life still. She had…well. She had expected something differently.

"Yes. Yes, I- that seems- fine. Good."

Emma tilted her head slightly when she spotted the briefest of flickers in the dark eyes of Regina Mills. It was relief? Joy? No, not quite. Hope. The smallest bit of it, as if Regina only allowed herself to expect the shorter end of the stick most of the time. It brought a small frown the Emma's face; the majority of the Henry that Emma knew was the peppy, sympathetic, loving kid that the brunette wasn't privy to. At least, not since Henry discovered the truth about his town.

The dark gaze dropped, and it was then that Emma realized Regina was signing the contract.

"So that's that then," Emma breathed, sliding the document toward her and into the satchel she'd carried it in.

"Indeed."

Shouldering the bag as she stood, she glanced around the manor. The home-made blockades that Regina had up last night were moved, and the house looked almost as it always had.

"I guess I'll just…"

"Sherriff?" The brunette called out of habit and stood as well, heading to her back kitchen counter and snatching a piece of stationary off of it, "I'll need you to pick up a few things sometime today."

"Er – what?" Emma stuttered perplexedly, reflexively taking the list and paper money that Regina held out, "What the hell is this?"

"My grocery list. You expect me to stay confined in here for an indefinite amount of time, well fine, but I need things. You know, like food and other basic supplies. Someone has to get them," Regina replied mockingly, a smirk creeping up to her narrowed eyes.

"But I- what are you going to be doing all day?"

"I'm not quite sure yet. Behaving as any other Queen under house arrest, I suppose," she drawled sarcastically, "Perhaps I'll 'lounge.'"

Emma rolled her eyes, taking in the woman's simple light green dress. It was the most casual thing she'd ever seen Regina Mills wear, but it was a dress all the same, "You're going to lounge in _that_?"

"And what would _you_ propose I lounge in, Miss Swan?" Regina quirked an eyebrow, hands coming to land on her hips in irritation.

"Sweatpants, yoga pants, or even a comfy pair of jeans with a t-shirt maybe," she quipped back, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't own any of the aforementioned things."

"Are you serious?"

Regina's eyes narrowing further told Emma that yes, yes she was in fact serious, "Will you just go get my groceries?"

"Fine," the blonde huffed, knowing that the other woman was going to get far too much amusement from the idea of Emma running her errands for her, "but you're so not allowed to complain when I get back." Emma spun on her heel, not wanting to look at the brunette's growing smirk any longer.

"Whatever you say, Miss Swan. Whatever you say."

* * *

**A/N:**I am so, so very sorry for how long this update took. The combination of my 10-day, no-internet-connection vacation along with my wisdom teeth surgery right afterward put me behind on this, thus the long wait. But, this chapter's a long one too, I hope that makes up for it!

Also, I want to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and stuck with this story. Without you guys, this thing probably wouldn't have made it past the first chapter - as much as I want to tell a lovely Swan Queen story, it's all of your encouragement that motivates me to update quickly with chapters that I hope keep you all reading!

Much love,

-mirroredhearts

(tumblr url: msemmaswan)


	8. Chapter 7

**(Before the Sun Goes Down) You Will Find It All Unraveled:**** Chapter Seven**

"Dear lord Emma, you're running her _errands_ for her?"

Emma adjusted her cell phone so it was sandwiched between her ear and her shoulder as she grabbed multiple bags out of her trunk. She was supposed to have met Snow White for lunch at Granny's, but it had taken Emma longer than she expected to gather everything on Regina Mill's list.

"Yeah, well, someone has to, and I don't see anyone else rushing forward to volunteer," Emma grumbled back into the speaker, knowing full well that the woman on the other end would have no argument for that. Hell, it wasn't like Emma had even offered Regina her services, the brunette had simply thrust the responsibility onto Emma; Emma, unable to refute Regina's reason, could only comply.

Indeed, a lone sigh was heard over the phone.

"I'll be back for dinner. Then we can discuss whatever you wanted to earlier," Emma intoned softly, sliding plastic bags up the length of her arm to shut the small Volkswagen's trunk.

"Alright. Just be careful, please? I'll see you later," Snow White reluctantly murmured in conclusion, knowing that her disapproval didn't change anything when Emma was actually right.

"Okay, I will, bye," the blonde replied perhaps a little too quickly before dropping her phone into an open palm, shoving it into her pocket, and readjusting her grip on the plethora of bags hanging on both arms.

Regina had requested specific items, it seemed, that were split between two stores- one across town from the other. It had taken Emma three hours to round up all that Regina wanted, and Emma couldn't help but believe that the woman had purposefully made it so.

Indeed, when the manor door promptly opened, one former mayor stood before her donning quite a smirk.

Emma narrowed her eyes as she came up to the doorway and thrust a handful of bags at the brunette, "Not a word."

Regina only quirked an eyebrow as she took some of the groceries from Emma and silently led the way to the kitchen.

Peeking inside the bags as she set them on the counter, Regina finally spoke, "I do assume you've gotten everything?"

Emma nodded, beginning to unpack things out of habit, "Every last item, even though I had to run around town to get it all," she intoned knowingly. Regina purposefully ignored the blonde's comment, choosing to stock her cupboards instead.

After getting most of the food items put in their proper place, Regina was surprised to find herself pulling a pair of black yoga pants out of the bag that also held her new toothbrush and dryer sheets, "And just what," she drawled, clearly unimpressed, "are these?"

"Yoga pants," Emma supplied obviously as she looked up to see what Regina was talking about.

"Why are they here?"

The younger woman sighed holding back an eye roll, "Because no one _lounges_ in a dress, Regina. Just try 'em, I'm pretty sure I got the right size."

"You really didn't have to do that, Miss Swan," the brunette replied with much more disapproval than actual gratitude.

"Oh, I didn't," Emma chirped cheekily, tossing empty bags in the pile Regina was making, "you had money left over from everything else, so I just used to rest to purchase them. You have about twelve cents left over, by the way, if you want it?"

Regina's eyes narrowed as she bit back something much harsher than the grumbled, "You're incorrigible," that came out.

"And there's my cue," Emma quipped as she wiped her hands on her jeans and turned to move back toward the front door.

As she approached the exit though, she heard Regina call out, "Your first lesson begins tomorrow at noon, sharp. Perhaps though, we should start with manners instead of magic."

The sound of the door closing rather forcefully behind Emma was what Regina received as a resounding 'goodbye.'

….

When Emma had gotten back to the apartment, everyone was just sitting down for dinner. Mary Marg- Snow had made some sort of pasta dish that smelled great. It was reminiscent of the days when Emma would come home from patrol, tired, to her roommate's spot-hitting cooking. There was a large part of the Sheriff that missed coming home and chatting with her _roommate_. Despite the idea that she had been wanted all along and that her parents were right here the whole time, it wasn't like they had suddenly become a perfect happy family. Elated that they had finally found each other? Well yes, there was that, but the situation they were in was unconventional to say the least.

Dinner was truly pleasant, though; it was nice that, after her long day of playing fetch for Regina Mills, she could just sit, enjoy a meal, and listen to Henry chatter on about how he saw one of the fairies use pixie dust to shrink a rather out-of-control beanstalk.

As Emma was helping their chef clean up, she mentioned, "We're starting tomorrow on…magic lessons I guess. I'm not exactly looking forward to it, but hopefully soon I won't have to worry about destroying things when I get upset." She had added the last bit lightly, hoping to alleviate the other woman's worry about the whole thing.

Snow White, though, merely took a careful breath before saying (rather matronly, as far as Emma was concerned), "I know I probably sound like a broken record Emma, but," she paused, inwardly hoping she wasn't sounding particularly chastising, "you need to be careful. Regina knows much about magic, but her magic is dark and corrupt. If she begins teaching you things that don't seem right, you'll need to stop with the lessons." James, who was neatly pushing in the table's chairs, nodded in agreement out of the corner of Emma's eye.

The blonde slid a dish into the washer before wiping her hands on a towel and leaning against the counter. She could admit, hearing that there was _dark_ magic within her was disconcerting. Still, Emma didn't really know much of magic, dark or otherwise. What she did know, however, was that she needed a handle on whatever the hell was in her until they found a way to transfer Regina's magic back.

"I know you just want to look out for me because you care about me because you're my…" Emma began, trailing off unable to truly call her friends 'mother' and 'father' out loud yet, "and I am thankful to have found you, don't get me wrong, but…for all intents and purposes, you're not my parents. You didn't raise me and I know that wasn't your fault," she stressed this last part because it was important. She would have loved to be raised by these two loving people, and she knew they wanted to raise her more than anything. It just didn't work out that way, so she continued, "but it's what happened. I'm a grown woman, and as much as I consider you family, I am also my own person. I trust I can my own decisions and I only hope you both can as well."

There. She'd done it, she'd said it. Because, truth be told, she wasn't necessarily okay with Mary Margaret Blanchard and David Nolan seeming to suddenly become her parents. She didn't want to hurt them, but it was how she felt. And she _was_ her own woman, she had lived almost twenty-eight years without parental guidance and granted, she didn't have the smoothest life, she knew how to handle herself most of the time.

Emma had caught them off guard, she could see it in the way Snow White's mouth hung open the slightest bit and the way James averted their eyes. Her heart sunk a little at their expressions, but she couldn't take back what she said and most of Emma didn't really want to take it back.

Snow closed her mouth and gave a single nod at Emma, "Well," she swallowed, James coming to her side, "I guess that's…goodnight then."

The couple turned and silently headed to their room, and Emma was left trying not to feel guilty. Tomorrow would be a new day, she told herself, and she had other things to worry about.

Like, for instance, surviving Regina's magic lessons.

* * *

**A/N:** Oh gosh guys. I am so, so sorry with how long this took to get up. See, I moved in to a new apartment and started my classes and well, you know how it goes. I don't want you to worry though, this story is still very much in-action, if you will, although I'm afraid updates will be slower because of real life demands. I can only hope you'll keep sticking with me because your continual feedback and support means so much to me!

Thanks for reading and lots of love,

-mirroredhearts


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: **What's this, an author's note at the _beginning_ of the chapter? What is the meaning of this?

Okay well, I just wanted to say before you guys dove in that I'm sorry for (once again) a long wait in-between updates. I wanted to get this up before the season 2 premiere but alas, no such luck. I can't at the moment promise that the wait will get shorter, I can just hope you're still planning on sticking with me. Also, this is another extra-long chapter that will hopefully make up for everything!

* * *

**(Before the Sun Goes Down) You Will Find It All Unraveled: ****Chapter Eight**

Emma Swan pushed a french-fry around her plate, coating it with ketchup before popping it in her mouth. It was a little earlier than she usually ate lunch, but she had her first lesson with Regina in twenty minutes and she wanted to be well fed for whatever the woman threw at her.

"Hey Red," she called as the waitress passed her, "could I get a hot cocoa to-go with my check?"

"Sure thing Em, just a sec," the tall brunette said as she began to quickly refill the empty salt and pepper shakers beside the Sheriff, "big day?"

"Eh," the blonde shrugged knowing the extra cocoa was her tell, "magic lessons with the evil witch."

"Nervous?" Red asked, twisting the lid back on a shaker.

"A little," Emma admitted, picking up another fry, "I'm not exactly _wild_ about this idea, believe it or not, but I am worried about this magic thing. Everything already seems out of control, if I could just get a handle on that…" she trailed off and shrugged, taking a bite out of the potato product. The truth was, she was on edge about being around Regina when she was in possession of the other woman's powers. After all, Emma was fairly confident it had been that magic that had compelled her to show up on the mayor's doorstep – she wondered what else it could decide to do in the presence of its rightful owner.

"I totally get it," the other girl said with an almost sad smile. She had dropped her gaze and fiddled with her fingers on the countertop, and Emma thoughts were brought back to her friend, wondering what she had said to strike this reaction.

She didn't have to wait long, however, for after another moment Red continued, "I'm worried about magic and how…I mean, the full moon…" she ducked her head and whispered, "I don't have my cloak."

Emma furrowed her brow and reached out to the waitress; she had read Red Riding Hood's story, and it had proved one of the more gruesome tales out of the book. She had found all the stories to be tragic in their own rights, actually, and wondered (not for the first time) if fairytales were all that they were cracked up to be.

"I had just gotten a hang of it back in the Enchanted Forest," she glanced back at Emma, "but it's been twenty-eight years…"

"Have you talked to anyone about this? The blue fairy? Granny?"

"Granny," Red supplied with a shrug, "we thought we could find the magical cloak, but so far no luck. I don't know where it would be in Storybrooke." She paused for a moment, looking more pensive than the blonde had probably ever seen her before saying carefully, "You know, for all of Storybrooke's faults and the wicked intent behind the curse, at least before I didn't have to worry about eating anyone I cared about."

"You're not trying to make me feel guilty for bursting everyone's ignorant bubble are you?" Emma joked with a raised brow, hoping to get the waitress in a better mood again.

"No 'course not," the brunette snorted lightly, "I'm just saying. Regina didn't make it that horrible for everyone here. And she… I'm sure your lessons will go alright," she finished, but Emma didn't miss Red's shift in speech or the slight glint in her eye. She would have questioned her further, but the waitress had given a final nod and turned around to pour the Sheriff her previously ordered cup of cocoa. Glancing at her phone to check the time, Emma realized that she had to go soon anyways; no use irritating Regina by being late, and besides, she just wanted to get this first session over with.

"Yeah. Hey, let's talk about this again later? We'll figure out the wolf thing before the full moon," Emma assured her with as much confidence as she had, as she slid off of the red plastic upholstered chair and dug out her wallet to cover her bill. After all, she was still the Sheriff and she still had to manage the well-being of the town – magical or not.

"But I better get going, thanks," she added, taking the cocoa that Red had placed in front of her. With a hopeful smile and a wave, Emma was out the door and soon getting into the Sheriff's car to make her way over to the Evil Queen's lair. Lair, manor, whatever. With a magically cheated Regina inside, it was daunting either way Emma looked at it.

Downing most of her hot cocoa between the ride over and most certainly burning the tip of her tongue in doing so, Emma pulled over on the street in front of the large white estate and sat for a moment, both dreading entering the door and wishing to have this done with.

Buck up Swan, Emma told herself as she left her to-go cup behind in climbing from her patrol car.

"Ms. Swan," Regina said flatly as she opened the door to the sound of the blonde's knocking, "shall we?"

Stepping into the entrance way, Emma shoved her hands into the pockets of her red leather jacket and turned to look back at Regina. "So where are we doing this? Er…_how_ exactly are we doing this?"

The older woman, rolling her eyes at the Sheriff's oh so eloquent inquiries, simply marched past Emma and into the living room. Following automatically, Emma noticed that the living room had been accident-proofed. That was, it seemed as if Regina had put away the more valuable and breakable objects that had formerly resided in the space, and it looked like she had moved end tables and the coffee table to the side, creating a more open area while leaving the sofa and large chairs in place.

"It's no proper training ground," the brunette commented, taking a seat on one of the remaining chairs, "but the antiques have been moved to safety, so it'll do – compared to the rest of the house, at least."

Emma could only nod and go along with Regina's lead; she sat at the couch and faced the Evil Queen, albeit avoiding eye contact. Okay, so she was nervous. Regina made her nervous. See, the thing was that Regina was this strange compilation of a woman that Emma begrudgingly had to loathe and respect – and now, with the truth about the past strewn before them as well as the expectancy of their unavoidable truce, the supposed savoir felt miles out of her comfort zone.

And apparently it showed.

"Stop fiddling," Regina scowled down at Emma's hands, which she realized were now wringing themselves together after they had been moved indecisively in and out of her jacket pockets.

"For God's sake, I said stop, you look like our –," Regina choked on the end of her statement, and Emma finally locked eyes with her, the blonde's green gaze open in surprise. Clearing her throat and straightening her posture, the brunette attempted to gather the poise she had only moments ago possessed. "Henry," she corrected and tried again, "You – you are acting like a child." It was meant to insult Emma, but it came out with less bite that Regina had hoped. Suddenly, it was Regina's turn to avoid the other woman's gaze.

Emma, for her part, unconsciously cocked her head a bit to study Regina, "That's the first time you've ever said – almost said – that Henry was both of ours."

The former Mayor narrowed her eyes, and Emma could tell it was killing her not to take back the statement that the brunette had so carelessly sort-of spit out. But, they had an entire session ahead of them, and Emma guessed that she didn't want to spend it fighting.

"Yes well," Regina exhaled, "he was supposed to be _mine _and mine alone." An unspoken _for once_ seemed to hang in the air between them, and something akin to pity and recognition panged Emma in the chest. "Obviously, things didn't end up as intended."

Great, well. That was that, right? Moment over. That was Emma's cue to nod and drop the subject.

"'Cause you didn't intend for me to break your evil curse."

Well, she had gone through with the nod, anyway.

Luckily for Emma, she was sure, Regina left the comment alone, but gave a sharp inhale and another killer glare. The blonde knew she was making things worse with her comments, but she couldn't help it. Every time she was in this woman's presence, she felt like she was going crazy. She was always on the defensive, which was justified all things considering with Regina, and now that she was supposed to be under the witch's tutelage…

A puff of feathers spouted like a geyser out of the throw pillow next to Emma, making the Sheriff startle and scramble farther back on the couch. Regina twitched in annoyance.

"You need to control yourself," she informed pointedly after a moment, "If you haven't noticed, Ms. Swan, your emotions – anxiety, stress, anger, and what not – are linked to the magic you now have. You let your emotions loose and that magic will run rampant also."

Snapping her head back around to look at Regina, Emma raised her eyebrows and gaped, "You mean to tell me that if I'm not in a constant state of calm then I'm going to keep…destroying furniture."

That earned her an eye roll.

"If you don't learn to channel your magic properly, then yes. Magic is an outlet for emotion, and vice versa – they're intertwined almost, and one can even amplify the other," she explained, "You just need to learn control."

Emma exhaled and dropper her hands to her knees, "Right. Okay, how do I do that?"

"Close your eyes."

At the suspicious look the brunette got in response, she could only sigh exasperatingly, "We have a truce don't we? Trust me and close your eyes, or get out of my house."

Emma went with shutting her eyes.

"Now, you're going to have to try to work yourself up. Think of something that scares you, or angers you. Start with just scratching the surface, and gradually go deeper," Regina's voice guided, much like a hypnotist at work. For this, though, Emma was (and needed to be) very conscious. "You should feel the magic start to build."

Emma's face scrunched in concentration but to be honest she felt a little ridiculous, "I uh…I'm not feeling anything."

"Try harder," was Regina's reflexive snap back, "You need to _actually _get worked up."

Surprisingly, the brunette's harsh tone hit a chord with Emma and she felt a surge of irritation flood within her. From there, it was a lot easier to remember all the things that pissed her off. Things, interestingly, that _Regina_ did to piss her off. And Emma was starting to feel it; a sort of bubbling crawled under her skin, spreading heat threw her body. The more she thought and the more peeved she got, the faster this sensation flooded her until she could swear her blood was thickening with …magic? Well, what else would it be?

Regina could feel the shift in Emma for it caused a palpable shift in the air around them as well; it would be at the tips of Emma's fingers in any moment.

"Now hold it in," the former Queen instructed, "Hold onto it so it doesn't escape unrestrained."

"That's…gunna be easier said than done," the blonde grunted, feeling increasingly as if she were going to burst.

Regina leaned forward and continued firmly, "Focus on keeping it in, focus on restraining yourself, what you feel – anything to get you a grip on this power." But Emma was practically brewing, and Regina was not prepared for her to bubble over. "Clench your fists," she advised, reaching over to curl Emma's hands into fists herself, "it sometimes helps."

Emma tensed under the other woman's touch, but she did squeeze her fists tight and in fact finally felt as if she had this magic under her grasp, instead of the other way around.

"Do you have it?"

"Yeah, I got it."

Regina pulled her hands away and slide back in her chair, "Quell it. Make is dissipate within you."

"What? Just make it go away?" Emma shrilled unintentionally as her brow furrowed more severely.

"Exactly."

Emma's whole body tensed in its containment; holding magic in was one thing, but making this energy fizzle out when she had only just conjured it in overflowing amounts… it was too much, surely. Still, she had to try something for fear that she would literally explode. She imagined the power within her folding in on itself, praying for it to become smaller and smaller. And, with some fierce bouts of will, it worked a little bit. However, she could not seem to quell it all – it was difficult to manage what she already had – and Emma felt sparks licking at her hands, itching to be let loose.

Unable to hold it any longer, the savior's eyes snapped open and flew to the safest place she could think to expel magic upon: this ended up being the fireplace.

Flames wisped to life upon the kindle in the firebox and the blonde sagged against the couch with an exhale.

"It was the best I could do," she sighed in way of explanation.

The brunette was silent though, simply taking a moment to study Emma. Truthfully, she had done better than Regina had expected. Magic, especially Regina's particular brand of dark magic, was finicky and stubborn. The fact that Emma Swan was able to have any sort of reign over it in her first intentional exploration of the power both impressed and alarmed her.

She wondered, briefly, if she was perhaps sharpening the weapon ordained to kill her in the end.

"You've done well," the former Mayor finally said with a soft mutter, smoothing her hands over the sleek black slacks she wore. Emma hadn't failed to notice her persistence in business attire, nor was she lost on Regina's reluctant tone.

"But?" The blonde asked, waiting for the other shoe to drop. After all, Madame Mayor (mayor or not) was not one to just hand out compliments, especially not to one Emma Swan.

"But nothing at all. Now try it again," Regina said simply.

Emma's jaw swung agape and her head jerked back in dumbfounded manner, "All that, again? Regina – that was difficult to manage once at all!"

The Sheriff was met with an odd expression of bemusement and condescendence as the brunette let her head tilt to the side and an eyebrow rise above the other, "You didn't think this was going to be easy, did you dear?"

Emma let out a disbelieving huff and crossed her arms in front of her body, her leather jacket giving a slight squeak at jutting against itself. She didn't see why the other woman would never let up. No, she took that back, she totally saw why Regina would put her through this; what she didn't see was how this was helping anything.

As if Regina had her thoughts, the woman added with a sigh, "You need to practice this until you can summon magic on your own will, without it getting the best of you. Magic comes at a price and in this case, your energy will take the toll. However, as you practice your stamina will build as well and it won't be so exhausting. Come now, once again a couple more times and then you should have had sufficient progress for the day."

When Regina put it like that, Emma felt almost foolish in her obstinacy. Even in a world of magic, why should anything come easily?

"Are you ready?"

The truth was, she wasn't. She hadn't been ready since Henry had knocked on her door the night of her twenty-eighth birthday; being met with Regina, Mary Margaret, the town, a magical curse – it was like she had been swept up by a hurricane with no time for her feet to miss the ground. Hell, she was being given magic lessons by the "Evil Queen" who both cursed her family and loved her son, someone who she was beginning to think wasn't the woman she might have first thought her to be. If she thought too hard on it, she would continue to floor herself.

And at the same time, she was starting to wonder if she even needed to find her footing when everything was topsy-turvy to begin with.

"Ready as I'll ever be."

* * *

**A/N numero dos:** So first magic lesson, accomplished! I wonder where our favorite characters will go from here...

How about that premiere though, eh?

All my love!

-mirroredhearts


End file.
